Safety disconnect: Analysis of the role of labor experience and safety training on work safety perceptions

Abstract

Abstract:Purpose: This study analyzes work safety perceptions among workers and safety experts in the construction industry. Furthermore, we evaluate whether experiential learning (i.e., labor experience) and knowledge-enhancing practices, that we link to safety training, explain the differences in work safety perceptions of workers and safety experts by triggering different types of overconfidence biases.Design/methodology/approach: The proposed hypothesis are tested by applying ordered probit models on a unique dataset comprising information for 558 employees and 215 safety experts working in the Spanish construction sector. Findings:The results reveal that previous labor market experience has a significantly negative effect on perceived work safety, that is, risk awareness decreases with respect to labor experience. However, the findings indicate that differences in perceived work safety between workers and safety experts are not explained by previous labor experience. Furthermore, the results suggest that higher levels of safety training, which we link to the acquisition of codified knowledge, negatively impacts workers' safety perceptions, while this effect turns positive among safety experts. This result suggests that safety experts' perceived work safety is affected by overconfidence that results from their greater safety-specific training (over-precision bias).Originality/value: Work safety constitutes a relevant key performance indicator. The proposed analysis of the role of labor experience and safety training on perceived work safety in different types of employees contributes to better understand how organizations can improve the management of their workforce by triggering specific actions, such as the design of customized training programs, that may help in reducing the safety disconnect between employees, in terms of perceived work safety.

Implementasi Online HSSE Passport di Perusahaan XYZ : Literature Review

“…Paragraf berikut beberapa penelitian yang dilakukan untuk melihat hubungan seberapa besar pelatihan dapat meningkatkan awareness pekerja sehingga berpengaruh terhadap kinerja keselamatan kerja secara keseluruhan. Lafuente, Abad, and Vaillant (2018) melihat hubungan antara pengalaman kerja, pelatihan aspek KKK yang pernah didapat dibandingkan dengan persepsi terhadap aspek Keselamatan. Pengalaman tenaga kerja sebelumnya memiliki efek yang signifikan terhadap keselamatan kerja yang dirasakan, yaitu justru kesadaran risiko menurun sehubungan dengan pengalaman kerja.…”

Analysis of the Effectiveness of Safety Training Methods

“…The inclusion of safety management is a crucial aspect that should be prioritised by any organisation [2]. It plays a key role in enhancing the supervision of employees, minimising accidents, near misses and occupational injuries, while simultaneously enhancing overall business operations [3]. The continuous technological advances of today-the implementation of new work processes that take into account market needs and human capabilities-reinforce the need for worker safety [2].…”

“…The success of OSH training in shaping safe worker behaviour needs to be supported by management [5]. Nevertheless, findings from a study conducted by Lafuente et al [3] indicate that elevated levels of OHS training, when coupled with the acquisition of codified knowledge, have a detrimental impact on workers' safety perceptions. Interestingly, this effect appears to be positive for safety professionals.…”

Construction Safety Training: Exploring Different Perspectives of Construction Managers and Workers

“…In fact, the success of a safety training program requires coordination of two key players, managers and workers, and the alignment of their perceptions towards similar goals in implementing an effective safety training program. Not surprisingly, several researchers have shown significant discrepancies between the perception of safety among the construction stakeholders [5] - [8]. For example, Gilkey et al, found that managerial perception is more optimistic towards the safety atmosphere of their projects compared to the factual perception reported by the frontline workers [8].…”

“…A recent study has shown that the workers' safety perception is predominantly derived from taskspecific performances and their experiences. On the other hand, the safety managers acquire their safety knowledge and expertise mostly from the formal sources of training and education [5].…”